Confident Cats overcome Kerry in Intermediate Camogie Championship

Glen Dimplex Intermediate All Ireland Championship

Kilkenny 2-14 Kerry 0-12

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

The Kilkenny intermediates joined Kerry at the top of the Group Two table after they crowned the Kingdom Girls in Lixnaw on Saturday.

Jackie Horgan scored Kerry’s first point, a free, in the second minute. It was the only time the home side were ahead in the match.

It didn’t take long for Kilkenny to flex their muscle. Danielle Morrissey equalised a minute later also from a free. After that, the Cats took complete control, adding three points through Morrissey (two frees) and Caroline Kennedy.

Things got even better when, in the eighth minute, Claire Doheny took a shot at the Kerry goal. It looped over the Kerry goalkeeper, Aoife Fitzgerald and into the back of the net

Morrissey kept the scoring going when she slotted over another pointed free. Four minutes later came Kilkenny’s second goal. It was a stronger move in the build up as centre forward Caroline Kennedy finished from close range to make it a 10-point game (2-5 to 0-1).

Jackie Horgan stopped the rot in the 13th minute with a pointed free for Kerry. Morrissey tacked on another two points for Kilkenny before Horgan slotted over two frees for the Kingdom.

Heading towards the half time interval, Morrissey added another two points to leave the score 2-9 to 0-4 in favour of Kilkenny at the break. In what was an impressive half, Morrissey racked up 0-8 (seven frees) for Kilkenny in that first period.

The visitors picked up again from the restart, with Aoife Cantwell starting the second half scoring for Kilkenny. Jackie Horgan added three points for the home side, a run which was followed by a nice effort from distance by Aoife Behan for Kerry’s first score from play. This made it 2-10 to 0-8 10 minutes into the second half, but Kilkenny never panicked.

Morrissey slotted over another four points for the Cats which brought her overall total for the game up to 0-11 (nine frees) with full forward Carlise Comerford scoring Kilkenny’s final point in the 48th minute.

There was a little light at the end of the tunnel for Kerry, who scored the last four points of the game through Horgan (three frees) and Petrice Diggin. Horgan finished the game with 0-10, all frees, as Kilkenny full-back Rachel Brennan did an excellent marking job on Horgan, restricting her scoring to frees.

Kilkenny will be back in action on Saturday when they welcome Dublin to Pairc Lachtain, Freshford for their fourth-round fixture.

Teams and scorers

Kilkenny – Danielle Morrissey (0-11, 0-9 frees); Caroline Kennedy (1-1); Claire Doheny (1-0); Aoife Cantwell, Carlise Comerford (0-1 each).

Kerry – Jackie Horgan (0-10, frees); Aoife Behan, Petrice Diggin (0-1 each).

Kilkenny – Cliona Murphy; Niamh Leahy, Rachel Brennan, Mairead Corcoran; Mairead Kennedy, Shauna Treacy, Hannah Scott; Danielle Morrissey, Kate McCluskey; Lauren Ronan, Caroline Kennedy, Aoife Cantwell; Claire Doheny, Carlise Comerford, Emma Mulhall.

Subs: Niamh Crowley for Emma Mulhall, Afton Grace for Caroline Kennedy.

Kerry – Aoife Fitzgerald; Rachel McCarthy, Niamh Leen, Michelle Costello; Aine O’Connor, Sara Murphy, Aoife Behan; Caoimhe Spillane, Ruth O’Connor; Laura Collins, Kate Lynch, Ann Marie Leen; Amy O’Sullivan, Jackie Horgan, Ellen O’Donoghue.

Subs: Rose Quinn for Aine O’Connor, Amy McCarthy for Ann Marie Leen, Patrice Diggin for Kate Lynch, Ciara O’Sullivan for Michelle Costello, Niamh Quinn for Ellen O’Donoghue.

Referee – Mike Ryan (Tipperary)